CHAPTER 1

One wrong swift, Vengeance awaits.

                 Alexander pope

Not many people could hear the loud voice of Maria's mistress, down the street on a rainy night in a mansion. The woman of the house was acting violent and her servant, Maria received the results of the violence with cries and pleads. Maria thought it was a dream when she was dragged out to the sitting room by her mistress and received heavy slaps with intensity. She couldn't endure the slaps, so she cried out and pleaded with the woman to forgive her for any wrong she might have done.

"No...no, please! Have mercy." Maria cried as she felt the impact of the slaps on her bare cheeks. 

"You ungrateful bitch! You tried to steal my husband away from me, after all, I have done for you and your son!" Her mistress yelled. She tossed Maria's bag outside while her husband and the servants watched the drama. Her baby was carried by a nanny who was disappointed at the scene.

"Por favor ten compasion!" Maria pleaded. She didn't know where else to go if she was sent out of the house.

"Push her out of my house now!" Her mistress ordered it loud and clear and it was carried out with immediate effect.

The guards pushed Maria and her son out of the house with their bags. Then the door slammed shut. Maria knelt down and cried out aloud but no one could hear her except her five-year-old son who was standing behind her. They were both under the rain, soaking wet. It would have been a sin for her to curse the rain for pouring all over her little son's body. He was white and pale, mostly because he hadn't eaten since the day started. She could tell that he was weak yet, he pretended to be strong for her.

"Mommy, it's okay...please stop crying." The little boy said, consoling his mother. 

Maria cleaned her tears and hugged her son with love, "We will survive this okay?" 

Philip nodded, he was getting really cold but he endured it because of his mother. As a young boy of five years, he had learnt that endure the hardship and insults that came their way. He never wanted his mother to worry about him.

"Do you love mommy?" Maria asked.

"Yes."

"I love you too. Let's get going...we might find help." She said as she took up the bags and walked away from the premises of the house. Before she moved on, she looked back at the house and swore within her to deal with that household, if she survived in the rain. The only thing that made the night memorable was the pouring rain. How ruthless her mistress was to allow her son to suffer with her. She wasn't going to let go of this memory and she would preserve it with all she had in order to get back at them when the time was right.

"Let's go." She said, holding her son's hands as they walked into the night with the drops of rain splashing on the ground. Their clothes dripped with water and the cool of the night gripped their skins. The world wasn't fair to them at all but Maria knew they had to survive no matter what. 

Twenty-one years later, 

Manuel Cruz organized a party for the celebration of his birthday. His wife, Maria Cruz was part of the people who helped in organizing the whole event. She was very satisfied to see her husband celebrating his sixtieth birthday. 

Friends, well-wishers, and family members attended the occasion including his two sons, Philip Cruz and Henry Cruz. She hugged Philip with a smile and kissed him on the cheek.

"Cómo has estado?" Manuel asked with a smile.

"I am fine, no need to worry about me...I hope you are enjoying the party?" Philip asked with a sweet smile.

"I am enjoying the party. Thanks to your mother. Mujer hermosa! My love for her has increased."

"I see. She hasn't forgotten to call me for the last two weeks, all because her husband is turning sixty today."

Manuel laughed and hugged Philip again. "Enjoy the party." He said and walked over to his second son, Henry.

Philip looked around the party and saw his mother talking with some guests, he was happy to see her smiling. He didn't want to disturb her, so he took a glass of wine from one of the waiters and walked toward his friend, Sammy.

"Oh! Philip Cruz! You are looking handsome today, what's the extra secret?" Sammy said with a smile.

"I would have shared it with you but I need to think thrice before I finally do it." Philip replied. He guessed Sammy knew that he wouldn't answer the question no matter how many times she asked. Sammy had a way of being too obsessive, especially with knowing secrets.

"Mmm, now I see why your father chose you as the next CEO." Sammy said.

"And I see why he chose you as his public relations officer." It was clear that Sammy was a destined public relations officer.

"That's so kind of you to say but you know what they say, I am who I am."

"I've never heard anyone say that before."

"That's the point, you don't need to hear it before you believe it."

Philip smiled and drank his wine, he was getting bored of Sammy's jokes and he needed to get some break. "I'll see you later." 

"Enjoy!" Sammy said.

Philip walked out of the party with his glass of wine. As he looked around, he commended himself for his hard work and persistence. His biological father had died when he was two years old, but ever since Manuel came into their lives, everything changed. He married Maria because he loved her even though he wasn't wealthy at that time. Through the years, Manuel and Maria's unity and hard work paid off for them. Philip was still in junior school when he started learning the principles of business from both of them, they began training him and teaching him all he had to know about being successful at business. He graduated high school and took up a business course while developing his art skills which were beneficial to the company. His sketches and drawings were sold by their company to other businesses and that caused the lifting of the Cruz company.

His brother, Henry, was still in high school when Philip was in college. Maria gave birth to Henry when she married Manuel. Philip was six years at that time. Henry had received the love, care, and attention that any family could give but he wasn't always on good terms with Philip. The issue was a major concern to Maria and Manuel but they didn't stress the matter. 

Philip loved his brother since he was a baby, but seeing Henry grow up to despise him was so discouraging. Nevertheless, he continued being his older brother to Henry and would sacrifice anything for Henry's happiness.

As he walked, there was this sense of peace that he felt. He hoped that it would last long enough because, he wasn't used to the feeling of peace, his life had been full of trauma, difficulties, and suffering. He rarely felt peace because he knew, it was not permanent.

Philip sipped his wine and watched a man come out of a car with a young lady. Philip recognized the man, but not the lady, and he was surprised when the man saw him and approached him with the beautiful young lady.

"Maestro felipe!" The man said with a smile as he shook hands with Philip. 

"It's nice to see you again, Dr. Mathew." Philip said with a smile. Dr. Mathew was a big man with medicated eyeglasses and white hair, he was definitely in his sixties perhaps a little older than his father, who was turning sixty. Dr. Mathew was a very intelligent man with a friendly personality and he occupied an important position in the CRUZ company.

"Nice to see you too. How have you been? Your mother told me that you traveled for a short holiday." Dr. Mathew said.

"I did. As you said, it was short."

"I know you to be the type of guy that takes short naps." He had known Philip for years.

"That's very funny, Dr. Mathew but I don't sleep most times."

"So how do you still look young and handsome?" It was an awkward question for an elderly man to ask but Dr. Mathew didn't care anyway.

"My secret." Philip said with a smile and they both laughed.

"Anyway, this is Clara Hamilton, and Clara, this is Philip Cruz." Dr. Mathew said.

"Nice to meet you," Clara said shaking hands with Philip.

"And you too." Philip replied.

"Ella es hermosa ¿no?" Dr. Matthew asked in Spanish because he knew that Clara couldn't understand it. In translation, he was asking Philip, if Clara was beautiful and Philip smiled.

"You have a very good sense of humor, Dr. Mathew." Philip replied, determined not to let the old man's question get into his head. He didn't like cheating people so her had to answer in English so as avoid the question.

"She is a good artist and very soon, she will be working in the Cruz company, so watch out."

"I will be waiting... it's nice to meet you again, Clara." Philip said.

"And you too." Clara replied.

"Thank you." Philip said.

"Let's get going for the party, see you around Philip." Dr. Mathew said and walked away with Clara.

"He's humble." Clara said to Dr. Mathew.

"It's part of him, he respects everyone and they love him for that...but he can be very mean and harsh when he gets worked up and frustrated." It was nonetheless, true. Dr. Mathew had seen Philip get really angry and bitter for a long time.

"How does he cope with his life and the company?"

"It's not easy, sometimes he gets depressed and angry and most times, he stays calm. You will know him better when you start working for them." 

Clara smiled at that thought as they stepped into the party. Eyes were on her and Dr. Mathew, the fact that was beautiful and so attractive, sometimes made her so ashamed but she had no choice but to endure those feelings and concentrate on making things better for herself and her love life.